Christie focuses on assisting students seeking postgraduate judicial clerkships and provides counseling to students interested in government or public interest careers. She oversees the pro bono, public interest, and community service programs. She also serves as the liaison with all diversity-based student groups.

Birrenkott has been with the CCD for nearly two years and has had a significant impact on client services, outreach, programming and score of other initiatives, according to Pascale Bishop, assistant dean of the Center for Career Development.

He has received high praise from students, faculty and staff for his proactive efforts and his sincere engagement with the various constituencies at the law school.

In his role as director, Birrenkott will be the main point of contact with employers for both the fall and spring on-campus interview programs, as well as continuing to counsel students and alumni, present programs and assist in the administration of the CCD.

The CCD would like to thank the students, faculty and staff who participated in the interviews for the director position.

The CCD continues to grow and re-energize to meet the demands of a difficult economy, and Birrenkott is going to be a dynamic part of those efforts, according to Bishop.

Panel guests include Professor Kenneth Nunn, Professor George Dekle, Legal Skills Professor Seth E. Miller, Esq. – Innocence Project of Florida, and Executive Director Professor Seigel.

It will be moderated by Rachel Inman, associate dean for student affairs.

It is presented by the Criminal Justice Center, Criminal Law Association, John Marshall Bar Association, Association for Public Interest Law, American Constitution for Law and Policy, Caribbean Law Students Association and the Center for Career Development.

Light refreshments to follow.

Pascale Bishop, UF Law's new assistant dean of the Center for Career Development

“You don’t just go to war, you prepare for it first,” said UF Law’s new assistant dean of the Center for Career Development. “The job search is the same. There is a lot of preparation and research before you start the application process.”

And Pascale Bishop — who comes to UF from the Chicago-Kent School of Law — is arming law students and alumni with the necessary tools to find success in today’s job market.

Bishop acknowledges that the legal job market is tight, owing partly to the soon-to-be-12 law schools in Florida and economic woes throughout the country, but she is working hard to provide the best opportunities for students.

“My plan is to make us as visible as possible starting on day one,” said Bishop, who took over the office Aug. 1.

In this case, increased visibility isn’t just a figure of speech; the Center for Career Development moved this summer to a new location on the ground-floor of Bruton-Geer Hall near the cafeteria, a high-traffic and high-visibility spot for students.

The CCD will employ new ways of connecting students — and alumni — with internships, training and jobs, which will also raise the Career Development Center’s profile, Bishop said. She also emphasizes the importance of one-on-one attention.

“With individual students assigned to a single counselor for the duration of their legal education, the idea will be establishing a more proactive role for the counselor to do follow-up and connect to the student in a more profound way.”

Not only do alumni get to participate in events that the CCD offers, but the center provides access to job postings in Symplicity and an intercollegiate job bank. Alumni can receive updates on job opportunities, networking events and receptions through an alumni listserv. UF alumni can gain access to the job listing for other law schools. For more information go to www.law.ufl.edu/career/alumni/.

The center will continue to help students with setting up resumes, networking and explaining expectations of employees. Alumni can participate by becoming entering the mentor program in which they are assigned a current student to mentor.

Wes Stephens, 2L and treasurer of the John Marshall Student Bar Association, is hopeful the center can help find his first job in a medium-sized practice or working for the state.

“I don’t expect them to do it for me,” Stephens said. “I just expect the proper tools for me to help myself.”

Stephens said the most important change the CCD has made is Bishop.

“She is very intelligent, poised and dedicated to improving the CCD,” he said. “I think every student will benefit from her becoming a part of our school.”

Other new programs Bishop is implementing include assigning liaisons to practice area student groups and to staff departments. Their role will be to help with contacts and keeping the rest of the school — including the college’s tour guides — updated on the latest information, Bishop said.

The center will be advising in new market areas, such as alternative legal careers — anything that doesn’t involve the traditional practice of law, Bishop said. Some students pursue J.D.s to help them in career paths outside of the legal world.

The CCD also began publishing bi-weekly newsletters for 2011 graduates and 1Ls that will point out volunteer and networking opportunities and job leads, and in the spring virtual resume books will be implemented that will put student resumes in front of more employers.

Bishop wants to conduct more student polls and forums to tailor outreach toward the students.

This year, Bishop — along with Assistant Director for Career Development Rob Birrenkott — are introducing themselves to 1Ls by encouraging them to participate in programs the center will host.

One such program, September’s Professionalism Week which was co-sponsored by the John Marshall Student Bar Association, helped UF law students develop connections and hone skills that complement their job search. The events covered the “Dos and Don’ts” of professional dress and included a mock networking reception with lawyers.

Students had the opportunity to meet UF Law alumni, including Oscar Sanchez (JD 82), Jo Thacker (JD 87) and Judge James S. Moody (JD 72) who spoke on topics such as a typical day practicing law, and offered advice on how to get an externship and recommended courses.

Bishop said alumni connections to UF Law are key to helping Gators obtain jobs upon graduation.

Students brought together everything they learned during the week at a reception hosted by the UF Law Alumni Council in the 2-Bits Lounge.

The panels and receptions during that week were available to help students and alumni network at their own comfort level, especially for students who are too eager or too shy.

The CCD also assisted students by stressing the little things. During Professionalism Week, some alumni noted that students needed to work on their handshakes, Bishop said.

“Small things like that can make or break an interview or a first impression,” she said.

Bishop said helping students is a matter of constant relationship building, and working with motivated students in the career development field keeps her own motivation high.

“The students are excited and it’s sort of infectious,” she said.

John Marshall Bar Association President Joe Joyce introduces the panel of Dean Robert Jerry, Dean Debra Staats, Dean William Page and Dean Rachel Inman at the town hall meeting Nov. 16. (Photo by Joey Springer)

“Is there any way we can get a salad bar?”

“Can the library extend its hours to mimic main campus library hours?”

“Can Starbucks be open the same duration of the library?”

These and other questions and suggestions were addressed at the Fall 2010 Town Hall Meeting Tuesday, Nov. 16, in the Chesterfield Smith Ceremonial Classroom. The event was hosted by the John Marshall Bar Association (JMBA) and included panel members Dean Robert Jerry, Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs William Page, Associate Dean for Student Affairs Rachel Inman and Associate Dean for Administrative and Fiscal Affairs Debra Staats.

The hour-long event had over 100 attendees and touched on topics such as career development, academics, facilities and student services. Each dean answered questions and addressed suggestions relating to their area.

The meeting first focused on questions and suggestions collected by JMBA from students. These included requests to add a new microwave and furniture in the cafeteria, painting and/or pressure washing the outside of the building during an academic break and adding toilet seat covers and individual trashcans in the women’s restroom stalls.

“Some things are obvious. We just need someone to say them out loud,” Staats said.

In response to concerns related to the Center for Career Development, Jerry said, “We recognize [career development] as an area where we need to perform better – in the delivery of student services. Making improvements in that area is a top priority.”

Inman has stepped in as interim director of the Center for Career Development following the resignation of former Assistant Dean for Career Development Linda Calvert-Hanson. Jerry said there will be a national search to bring in a new director, and that the school will continue to work to make available more small-firm options for employment, disseminate information more effectively, and get more recruiters to interview UF Law students.

“We will do a better job providing all these services,” Jerry said.

Jerry also discussed the power of the Gator Nation network, how alumni have helped with the placement of prior graduates, and the school’s plan to encourage alumni to hire Gator grads.

Student suggestions and concerns voiced at the town hall meeting included:

• Keeping the law library open until 1 a.m. like the main campus libraries
• Offering extended library hours two weeks earlier than usually offered for students who have papers due before finals
• Making the reading room limited to only law students
• Having Starbucks use the same operating hours as the library
• Adding food options such as a salad bar, Subway and Boar’s Head
• Inviting food vendors such as Chick-fil-A to sell on campus at designated times
• Offering the law calendar in a smart-phone friendly format
• Providing more lighting and/or security on the campus at night, especially around the Florida Law Review office entrance

After the administration addressed suggestions, the town hall meeting closed with a question and answer session. Some questions included: “why is there no ‘Sexuality in Law’ class?”, “will there be a certificate in criminal law available?” and “why don’t we have more clinic options?”

Page’s answers included that there was a “Sexuality in Law” class previously offered during the summer, but the professor who teaches that class hasn’t been able to teach it the past couple years due to course loads. However, they are looking to offer the class in the spring or fall semester. Page also said that a certificate in criminal law is not yet available, but that the school is investigating the addition of an entrepreneurship clinic.

In answer to a question regarding the grading curve, Page said the current class standing system communicates the quality and competitiveness of the student body.

After receiving answers to their questions and voicing their opinions, students were offered free lunch provided by JMBA. Joe Joyce, president of JMBA, thought the meeting was successful.

“It was a really honest dialogue,” Joyce said. “There has been positive change from town hall meetings in the past, and this is an important part of what JMBA does: advocate for student issues. JMBA wants to provide students with access to the administration and advocate on their behalf issues that the students care about and believe in.”

“It’s about effecting positive change,” he said.

Beginning April 6, as a part of diversity week, join the Center for Career Development at 10 a.m. in the faculty dining room for a series of workshops designed to help students explore the complex relationships that exist between lawyers, clients, co-workers and community. Join us on:

• Tuesday, April 6– learn how GLBT client issues can arise in the workplace and how to handle them in a professional manner.
• Wednesday, April 7– discuss how your ability to relate to your co-workers of a different generation and potentially different background can impact your career.
• Thursday, April 8– participate in a workshop designed to assist you in recognizing and responding to client diversity.

Finally, to bring diversity week to a close, immediately following Thursday’s workshop, attend the Multicultural Fair from 11a.m.-1p.m. in the law school courtyard, organized by Student Affairs and UF Law’s diverse student organizations. Travel “around the world” enjoying and celebrating law school’s cultural fabric with food and games. We hope you will participate in this series and gain an understanding of how diversity in the legal profession impacts both you and your career.